Mammals · Artiodactyla · Cervidae

White-Tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The white-tailed deer, also called the Virginia deer or grey deer, is an artiodactyl mammal of the deer family. It lives in a range of American ecosystems, from those of Canada in the subarctic, through the dry forests of the mountain slopes of Mexico and the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, to the dry equatorial forests of northern Peru and other wooded areas of South America. It feeds on shrubs and grasses. It is heavily hunted throughout its range, but is not considered at risk. In some regions its populations have grown because of a shortage of predators. On 28 June 1993 the National Congress of the Republic of Honduras made the white-tailed deer the national symbol of the country's wildlife. Odocoileus virginianus was likewise declared a national symbol of the Republic of Costa Rica on 2 May 1995.

Weight

25 kg – 150 kg

Size

95 cm – 2.2 m

Lifespan

14 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaRainforestTemperate forestGrasslandHerbivore Crepuscular Savanna Rainforest Temperate forest Grassland Mammal

14countries 19parks23same family

Fun facts

comunicaciónIt raises its tail to flash the white underside as an alarm signal to the rest of the group when it senses danger.
As it flees it raises its tail to show the white underside, a signal visible at a great distance that alerts the rest of the group and that, according to some studies, tells the predator it has already been spotted.
It went from fewer than half a million animals in the United States at the start of the 20th century to tens of millions today: a recovery so complete that its overabundance now prevents the forests of the east of the country from regenerating.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Forests, farm and woodland mosaics, savannahs and rainforests from Canada to Bolivia
Sexual maturity: 10.2 months
Gestation / incubation: 6.5 months
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odocoileus_virginianus